Drier



April 1953 G. s. CLEMENST 2,634,514

DRIER Filed March 1, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 III I N VEN TOR.

ywgga d wm April 14, 1953 G. s. CLEMENS 2,634,514

DRIER Filed Ma. rch 1, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 14, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DRIER tion of Illinois Application March 1, 1949, Serial No. 79,051

4 Claims. (Cl. 34-243) My invention relates to an improved drier adapted to dry the hands or the hair and characterized by a substantially uniform air outlet temperature.

In driers for the hands and the hair it is of vital importance that the air be heated to a maximum degree consistent with safe operation, since the ability of the air to take up moisture is largely determined by the outlet temperature. However, if the air, or any portion thereof, is overheated it burns the user.

Moreover, it has heretofore been impractical to use the same drier for both the hair and the hands. This results from the fact that air for hair drying should be directed at an angle relative to the vertical whereas air for hand drying should be directed substantially downwardly. Downwardly directed air is ineffective for hair drying because it is not possible to get the head under the nozzle unless the drier is specially mounted. Air directed on an angle to the vertical is ineffective for hand drying because it blows droplets of water from the hands onto the clothing of the user.

In accordance with the present invention, an improved drier is provided wherein the temperature of the outlet air is substantially uniform and can be set at a maximum tolerable value without causing any portion of the air stream to be overheated, or any portion of the stream to be inadequately heated. Moreover, the drier is provided with an air directing nozzle rotatable about an axis at an angle to the vertical and has a housing adapted to be mounted either end up on a vertical surface. The drier can thereby produce a downwardly directed air stream capable of drying the hands without blowing droplets on the clothes and an air stream at an angle to the vertical to dry the hair without requiring the user to be directly under the unit.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an improved drier having a discharging air stream of substantially uniform temperature.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved drier adapted to be received on a vertical surface and selectively operable to produce a downwardly directed air stream or an air stream directed at an angle to the vertical.

Further it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved drier of simple and inexpensive construction and reliable operation and embodying safety elements to prevent over-,

heating.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. My invention itself, together with other objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a drier embodying the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view through the axis 22, Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view through the axis 3-3, Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the heating element of the drier of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view through axis 55, Figure 3; and

Figure 6 is an end elevational view of the drier of Figure 1 as oriented for hair drying.

Referring now to the perspective view of Figure 1, the drier includes a housing H having a flat back portion adapted to be received on a vertical surface, such as a wall. The housing H has a relatively fiat front panel l0 oriented at an angle relative to the orientation of the back. An air directing nozzle i2 and a switch knob l4 project from the surface of the panel It) as shown.

As shown in Figure 2, the back of housing H receives the back plate I6 which may, for example, be an aluminum casting. This plate has a plurality of openings i661. adapted to receive screws to affix the plate to a wall or like mounting surface.

The housing H is retained on the plate It by the locking rods I8. These each extend through registered holes in the housing H and the back plate IE to lock the housing H in position relative to the back plate. Screws l8 are threadedly received in openings lSb of back plate It to be threadedly held in position.

As seen best in Figure 2, the panel It slopes at about 20 degrees relative to back plate It. This panel has a circular opening which snugly receives the bushing 28. in position by the annular member 22 which is threadedly received on the surface of the bushing within housing H and bottoms against panel it adjacent the opening. The member 22 defines an overhanging annular surface in which the rubber Washer 24 is received as shown. A screen 26 is interposed between washer 24 and themember 22.

When the drier is mounted in the upright position of Figure 2, panel I8 slopes downwardly. When the drier is mounted in the inverted position of Figure 6, the panel [B slopes upwardly.

A fan scroll 28 is mounted within the housing This bushing is held.

H and. has its outlet opening in registry with the air discharge opening in panel Ill. An impeller (not shown) is carried by shaft 39 which in turn is driven by a motor (not shown) during operation. Rotation of the impeller causes air to travel from scroll 28 and'out the opening in panel H].

The air directing nozzle !2 is adapted to deflect air at an angle of substantially 70 degrees relative to the panel [6. This nozzle has a circular opening adapted to receive bushing 20 to cause air from that bushing to travel into the nozzle. A snap ring 32 is received in cooperating annular grooves in bushing 20 and nozzle 12, and retaining nozzle l2 in position while permitting rotation thereof. i v

It will be apparent that nozzle 12 is rotatable about the axis of bushing 20 and hence an axis normal to panel l and tilted 20 degrees relative to the horizontal.

When the housing H is in the upright position shown in Figure 2, and the nozzle I2 is directed downwardly, the air leaves scroll 28 in a direction normal to panel H9 and hence with an angle of about 110 degrees downwardly relative to the vertical. The nozzle l2 deflects the air an additional 70 degrees downwardly, thereby causing the air to leave the unit in substantially a vertical downward direction. When so directed,

the air has no tendency to blow droplets from the users hands onto his clothing. v

When the housing H is mounted in the inverted position as shown in Figure 6, the panel I0 assumes an angle of about '70 degrees to the Vertical, as shown in Figure 2.

i2 is turned to direct the air downwardly, it imparts 70 degrees downward movement to the air already moving 20 degrees upwardly, resulting in downward movement at 140 degrees to the vertical upward direction or 40 degrees to the vertical downward direction. This orientation is shown by the arrow 35, Figure 6.

Air discharged at an angle of about 40 degrees to the vertical downward direction is particularly suitable for hair drying since it may be directed on a user spaced from the mounting wall and not directly under the machine.

The scroll 28 receives the heating unit shown generally at 3 3, Figure 2. This unit is received in the outlet duct portion of scroll 28 and heats the air discharging from the scroll 28. The construction of the heating unit may best be understood by reference to Figures 3, 4, and 5, taken in connection with Figure 2 where the scroll 28 is broken away to show this unit.

As shown in the figures, the heating unit 3t includes two crossed members 36 and 38 having cooperating slots 36a and 38a so that they may be coupled together as shown in Figure 4. These members are snugly received in the discharge or outlet duct of scroll 28 so that the air stream passes about them.

The members 3 .r and 36 are preferably made of heat resistant material, such as molded steatite. Each is formed with a plurality of recesses 40, Figure 5, to receive the coils of an electrical heating element. A heating element 42 is wound about the members 3-; and 36 and received in the recesses 40.

It will be evident that the coil 42 defines a spiral cone. That is, the successive convolutions increase in diameter from one end to the other and, in addition, spiral in the direction of the axis of bushing 29, Figure 2.

The spiral cone configuration of the heating .When the nozzle element 42 is particularly effective in heating the air passing through the outlet duct of the scroll 28. The effectiveness is increased by the fact that the members 36 and 38 are oriented at a 45 angle relative to the axis of shaft and scroll 28, Figure 2, and the ends of the element are attached to the two portions of the members nearest the common axis of scroll 28 and shaft 36. This attachment is achieved by the conducting screws 44 and :36, Figure 3.

By terminating the heater coil at screws &4 and 48, the spiral cone is provided with three turns each in the quadrants furthest away from the axis of the scroll 28 and two turns in the quadrant closest to this axis. This is best seen in the cross-sectional View of Figure 3. I have discovered that this greatly improves the uniformity of the air temperature. For example, actual tests have shown that with the structure shown, the issuing air temperature varies from 130 to 135 degrees, a variation hardly perceptible to the user. Other driers have shown variations as great as from 95 degrees to 200 degrees, the former temperature being too low for effective drying and the latter so hot that it is uncomfortable.

Moreover, the spiral cone heater element configuration introduces a minimum degree of air resistance.

The scroll 28 is formed with a lip 28a adjacent the outer turn of the heater element 42 as best seen in Figure 3, this lip conforms to the shape of that turn to provide an air space of substantially uniform width between the turn and the scroll 28. This prevents issuance of unheated air from nozzle E2.

The foregoing construction provides a heated air stream of uniform temperature. This is accomplished in part by the spiral cone shape of heater element 52, augmented by the lip 23a, which forces all the air through heater elements of substantially uniform spacing. The provision of only two lengths of heater element in the quadrant closest to the axis of scroll 23 renders the air temperature even more uniform for it compensates for the lower air flow in this quadrant due to the action of the fan impeller. I have discovered that centrifugal fans inherently provide greater air velocity adjacent the outer portions of the scroll and that so proportioning the heater element compensates for the tendency of part of the air stream to heat to a greater extent than other parts.

The uniform temperature of the air stream renders it possible to operate the entire stream at a higher average temperature than otherwise could be used. The ability of the air to take up moisture is thereby increased.

A bimetal safety element 48 is mounted on the member 36 as shown in Figures 2 to 5. This element is anchored at one end by screw 53 and at its opposite end is adapted to coast with stationary contact 52. The latter contact is defined by member 52a which is held in place by screw 45.

When the temperature of the bimetal element 48 exceeds a predetermined value, it flexes to a spaced position relative to contact 52. This breaks the electric circuit between screws it and 48 and interrupts application of power to the heating element 42.

The element 48 is mounted on the right hand half of member 36 as seen in Figure 3. In this position it is particularly effective as a safety device for it exhibits no tendency to open while air flow takes place but rapidly and positively opens in the event air flow discontinues, either by obstruction of nozzle 82 or by stoppage of the impeller. Other positions of the element have not proven as effective for this purpose.

The temperature responsive element 48 acts to deenergize the heating element regardless of the reason for stoppage of air flow. This avoids the need of providing the path for air leakage between scroll 23 and nozzle I2 to form an escape path in the event the nozzle is blocked.

While I have shown and described a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that various modifications and alternative constructions may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. I therefore intend by the appended claims to cover all such variations and alternative embodiments that fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a forced-air drier wherein air is heated within a housing and discharged through the front thereof, a housing having a vertical rear wall portion adapted to be mounted upon a vertical surface, said housing providing a downwardly and inwardly-inclined front panel having an air outlet opening therein, means within said housing for heating and directing air through said opening, and an elbow-shaped nozzle extending outwardly from said front panel and having its inner end portion mounted in alignment with said opening for rotation about an axis generally per pendicular to the inclined front panel, the outer end portion of said nozzle pointing substantially vertically downward when said outer end portion is in its downwardmost position and pointing up wardly at an outward inclination when said outer end portion is in its upwardmost position, whereby when said nozzle is turned downwardly, the hands of the user can be dried without blowing moisture upon the clothes of the user, while when said nozzle is turned upwardly, the discharged air can readily be directed upon the face and hair of the user.

2. In a forced-air drier wherein air is heated within a housing and discharged through the front thereof, a housing having a vertical rear wall portion adapted to be mounted upon a vertical surface, said housing providing a downwardly and inwardly-inclined front panel having an air inlet opening therein, means within said housing for heating and directing air through said opening, said means including a fan scroll having a. downwardly-inclined outlet duct aligned with said outlet opening for discharging air therethrough, and an elbow-shaped nozzle extending outwardly from said outlet opening, said nozzle having its inner end portion aligned with said outlet duct and supported for rotation with respect to the axis of said duct, the outer end portion of said nozzle pointing substantially vertically downward when said outer end portion is in its downwardmost position and pointing upwardly at an outward inclination when said outer end portion is in its upwardmost position, whereby when said nozzle is turned downwardly, the hands of the user can be dried without blowing moisture upon the clothes of the user, while when said nozzle is turned upwardly, the discharged air can readily be directed upon the face and hair of the user.

3. In a forced-air drier wherein air is heated in a duct while passing therethrough, a housing having a vertical rear plate adapted to be received on a vertical surface and having a front u panel inclined downwardly and rearwardly at an angle of approximately 20 relativ to said rear late, said inclined panel having an air outlet opening therethrough communicating with said duct, and an arcuate elbow-shaped nozzle extending from said inclined panel, said nozzle having its inner end portion mounted in alignment with said openin for rotation about an axis generally perpendicular to said inclined panel, the outer end portion of said nozzle pointing substantially vertically downward when said outer end portion is in its downwardmost position and pointing upwardly at an outward inclination when said outer end portion is in its upwardmost position, whereby when said nozzle is turned downwardly, the hands of the user can be dried without blowing moisture upon the clothes of the user, while when said nozzle is turned upwardly, the discharged air can readily be directed upon the face and hair of the user.

4. In a. forced-air drier wherein air is heated within a housing and discharged through the front thereof, a housing having a vertical rear wall portion adapted to be mounted upon a vertical surface, said housing providing a downwardly and inwardly-inclined front panel having an air inlet opening therein, means within said housing for heating and directing air through said opening, said means including a fan scroll having a downwardly-inclined outlet duct aligned with said outlet opening for discharging air therethrough, said inclined panel being inclined at an angle of approximately 20 with respect to the vertical and said outlet duct having its axis substantially perpendicular to said inclined panel, and an arcuate elbow-shaped nozzle extending outwardly from said outlet opening, said nozzle having the axis of its inner end portion substantially aligned with the axis of said duct, said inner end porton being supported for rotation about its axis, the outer end portion of said nozzle being oriented to direct air in a vertically downward direction when said outer end portion is in its downwardmost position and being oriented to direct air upwardly at an outward inclination when said outer end portion is in its upwardmost position, whereby when said nozzle is turned downwardly, the hands of the user can be dried without blowing moisture upon the clothes of the user, while when said nozzle is turned upwardly, the discharge air can readily be directed upon the face and hair of the user.

GEORGE S. CLEMENS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,224,306 Lemp et al. May 1, 1917 1,490,088 Bridges Apr. 15, 1924 1,750,094 Emmrich Mar. 11, 1930 1,961,179 Tinkham June 5, 1934 1,985,136 Amoo Dec .18, 1934 2,014,211 Schurig Sept. 10, 1935 2,114,494 I-Iummel et al Apr. 19, 1938 2,153,239 Curci Apr. 4, 1939 2,259,712 Sweetland Oct. 21, 1941 2,294,904 Hewitt Sept. 8, 1942 2,375,920 Hewitt May 15, 1945 2,382,468 Cull Aug. 14, 1945 2,521,769 Arcularius Sept. 12, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 696,230 France Oct. 13, 1930 

